Trolley-track switch.



PATENTED OCT. so, 1906.

i ii

R. w MpILVAINE TROLLBY TRACK SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED DBO 21,1905

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT WARREN MOILVAINE, OF WESTERN SPRINGS, ILLINOIS.

TROLLEY-TRACK SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 30, 1906.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT WARREN Mc- ILVAINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Western Springs, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Trolley-Track Switches, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

of a trolley-track junction comprising my improved switch. Fig. 2 is a section at the line 2 2 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail inner side elevation of the switch and connected tracks. Fig. 4 is a plan view showing a modification in which the switch member has more than two sections.

,A represents a piece of track from which lead two divergent branches, one of which, the track B,may be considered as the continuation of the track A and with it constituting.

what may be termed the main line A B, and the other B may beconsidered the branch.

[The distinction between the main line and the branch is, however, a mere convenience for designation, except that the two tracks which are referred to as together constituting the'mainline are connected rigi ly with the switch-supporting bracket; but it is immaterial whether the two pieces of track thus connected are in a straight line or are divergent.

C is a bracket which rigid 1y connects the two pieces of trackA and B on the side opposite that pastwhich the trolley-arm hangs, so that it does not interfere with the passage of the trolley, and it will be understood that the trolley necessarily passes on the side toward the branch track B. The switch element of the track comprises-two sections D and D, of

which D is plvotally connected at one endv with thetrack-piece A and the section D is pivotally connected to the other end of the section D and has the end remote from its pivot adapted to reach to' the proximate ends of either the track B or the track B when theentire switch is adjusted for said connections, respectively. The switch-section D is rigid with and may be formed integrally with an operating-arm D which extends horizontally off from the section D at the side on which the bracket C is located, and this bracket is formed with a web C, on which the arm D of the switchsection D may ride in the horizontal swinging movement of the switch, as hereinafter described. Preferably said arm D is itself webbed, as shown, constituting substantially a triangular plate extension of the switchsection D, which is cast integrally with said plate-like or webbed arm Said arm is, as shown, substantially right-angled triangular in form, and at the oblique angle remote from the switch-section D it has aboss d in which there is mounted a vertical ivot-bolt E and which extends down througa slot C in the web C of the bracket C, and below said bracket said pivot-bolt is provided with a flanged head or nut E, whose flange runs on the under side of the bracket-web. The slot C extends at an angle of about forty-five degrees to the main lineAB and guides the pivotbolt seat (the boss (1 in that course in any movement which may be given to the parts. On the bracket C, outward or back from the outer end of the slot, there is pivoted a weighted or tumble-bob lever F, having the weight F at one end and an eye F at the opposite end for connection with the pull-handle G. For supporting and affording fulcrum to this lever the bracket C has two lu s C G extended in direction parallel to t e slot 0 with an interval or opening (seen at C) between them, through which opening the lever exten s, the gufgeons F F on the lever affording it pivotal bearing in said fulcrumsupports G which latter are upwardly open, so that the gudgeons may be introduced from above and retained by cotter-pins H, inserted through the lugs above them. The tumble-bob lever is thus adapted to swin through an angle of about one hundred an thirty-five degrees from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, at which the weighted end of the lever extends outwardly, so that the weight tends to hold said end of the lever down and the opposite end at the most elevated position which can be reached in view of the connections to the position shown in dotted lines, at which the weight is stopped at the opposite or inward side of its fulcrum,

such stoppage being conveniently effected by 1 [o to the track A, and since the A the collision of the weight with the upper end of the pivotebolt E. This pivot-bolt is connected by a link K with the lever F a short distance from the gudgeons F on the side toward the weight F, and the rocking of the "lever through the angle indicated from the first-mentioned to. the latter-mentioned position therefore operates to slide the pivot-bolt seat from the outer to the inner end of the slot. This movement of the pivot-bolt seat at the corner of the triangular arm D swings the switch element, comprising both its sections D and D, in a definite path, in which the position of both sections is positively controlled throughout the entire movement, for it will be evident that the pivot d of the two sections D D to each other can move only in an are about the pivot d of the section D path of the pivot-bolt E is positively controlled by the slot C said pivot d must at all times be at an invariable distance from a definite point in the path of the axis of the pivot-bolt E, and

these two conditions fix absolutely the position of the pivot d at all stages of the movement of the pivot E in the slot, and the section D and the arm D being a unitary rigid structure two points of which are determined the entire unitary structure D D must move in a determined path. The length of the slot C and the throw of the link K caused by the rocking of the tumble-bob lever are such as to move the farther end of the switch-section D from a position in line with the track B to a position in line with the track B.

Since at each limit of the rocking movement of the lever the eye at the end of the arm opposite the weight is at a position above the lowest which it can reach in the rocking movement, it will be seen that a downward pull upon this end of the lever from either position will lift the lever to a point directly above its fulcrum, and such pull being given quickly the momentum of the weight will carry it over the fulcrum and complete the movement to the opposite limit from that occupied when the pull was given. A downward pull, therefore, upon the pullhandle G will shift the switch from either track connection to the other, and the position in which the pull-handle stands will indicate to the operator whether the switch is in one position or the other.

For assistance in understanding the action I have shown in a conventional manner a trolley L in full line on the track A. This requires no further or more specific explanation.

In Fig. 4 there is shown a modification in which the switch member has three sections, and this may indicate the possibility of any desired number. In order that the several joints at which the several sections when there are more than two are connected to each other may permit the folding or flexureof the switch to a proper limit only at each joint, so that the total angular deflection may be distributed among the several joints, it is necessary that the flexure of each joint should be limited, so that no joint can be folded beyond its proper proportion, and for this purpose in this invention each of the junctionsto wit, of the section D to the main line A, of the section D to the main line B, and of the section D to the sections D and D, respectively-is formed by pivot (2 intermediate two shoulders d d at opposite sides of the pivot on each of the sections, said shoulders being at an angle to each other less than one hundred and eighty degrees by the amount of angular movement which must occur at the joint in properly moving the switch from connection with one track to the other. The element D is operated in this construction precisely as in that shown in Fig. 1.

I claim 1. A trolley-track switch comprising, in combination with a main-line track, a bracket rigid with respect to said main-line track and extending ofi' laterally therefrom; a movable member whose length is made up of two sections pivoted together, one section being pivoted to the main-line track, and means on the bracket for guiding in a definite path a point on the other section remote from the pivot of the two sections to each other.

2. A trolley-track switch comprisin in combination with the main-line trac a switch element consisting of two sections pivoted to each other, the first section being pivoted to the main line of the track, a bracket rigid with respect to the said mainline track and extending off laterally therefrom, the second switch-section having an arm extending off at the same side; a guide on said arm and a guide-track for the same on the bracket, and means for moving the guide along the guide-track.

3. A trolley-track switch comprising, in combination with the main-line track and a branch track, the main-line track having a gap and a bracket spanning the gap and extended olf laterally at one side of the track, a switch member adapted to extend across the gap, consisting of two sections pivoted to each other, the first section having the end remote from said pivot pivotally joined to the main-line track, the second section having an arm extending off laterally at the same side as the bracket, said bracket having a guide-track oblique to said second switchsection, said arm of said section having a guide engaging the track, and means for moving the guide along the guide-track.

4. A trolley-track switch comprising, in combination with the main-line track having a gap therein and a branch track, a switch member adapted to extend from one end of the gap to the branch track or the other end of the gap-in the main line; a bracket rigid with the main-line track at the side thereof opposite that at which the branch track is located; a tumble-bob lever mounted on. said bracket for swinging in a vertical plane, said switch member com rising two sections pivoted to each other, tfie first section being pivoted to the main-line track at the end of the gap opposite the branch track; a link connecting the other section with the tumblebob lever, and means for guiding the pivot of the link to said member in a definite path.

5. A trolley-track switch com rlsing, in combination with a main-line trac a switch element consisting of a plurality of sections pivoted together; a bracket rigid with respect to the main-line track extending off laterally therefrom, the first section of the switch element being pivoted to the mainline track; means on the bracket for guiding in a definite path a fixed point of the last section, and means for limiting the flexure of the joints connecting the sections.

6. A trolley-switch comprising, in combination with a main-line track and a branch track, the main-line track having a gap, a bracket ri idly connecting the two arts of the mainine track separated by t e gap, such bracket being extended off laterally at the opposite side of the main-line track from the branch track; a switch member adapted to extend in the gap consistin of a plurality of sections pivoted together, t e first section being pivoted to the main-line track, and means on the bracket for guiding in a definite path oblique to the last sect1on a point on said last section remote from its pivot.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two witnesses, at Chicago, Illinois, this 16th day ofDecember. 1905.

ROBERT WARREN MGILVAINE.

In presence of CHAS. S. BURTON, M. GERTRUDE ADY. 

